Do you spend a good portion of your workday waiting to get home so
you can work at your hobby? Donald Sentner, president of Bethel Park,
Pennsylvania-based Design Specialties, has successfully turned his
hobby into a full-time job.
Sentner's been interested in kit models since he was a child. "My
high school guidance counselor suggested that I do this for a living,"
says Sentner. "I didn't know this was a possibility." He started
working as a model-making apprentice and then spent a number of years
working for others until venturing out on his own.
Wouldn't life be grand if you could turn your hobby into a paying
job? It can be, but there are a few factors to consider. Use these tips
to find out if your pastime can become your livelihood.
Is Your Hobby Marketable?
Your first step in attempting to make a job of your favorite
activity is to "research your hobby to see if it's a business," Sentner
advises. "Make sure your hobby is marketable. Being passionate about
something is one thing; being passionate about something marketable is
another." Start by using keywords in the Monster Job Search to find out if there are jobs that correlate to your field of interest.
Think It Through
If you are lucky enough to have a hobby with a market, your next
step is to consider whether you would be happy working in it -- serving
whatever role is in demand -- rather than merely enjoying it. Nancy
Hayes Bevington, vice president-client services at the Burlington,
Massachusetts, office of Right Management Consultants, says it's
important to consider how this type of job shift may change your
feelings about your hobby.
"When your hobby becomes your work, it may not be the same," says
Bevington. "This change can take the fun out of what you are doing. In
addition to making the product or providing the service, you now have
to think about pricing, deadlines, doing it someone else's way, etc."
Kiersten Peterson, manager of retail human resources support for
Boston-based Winston Flowers, agrees with Bevington. Peterson recalls
when a departing employee told her that she had discovered that an
avocation isn't always a great vocation. "It's not all glitz and
glamour," says Peterson. "As a florist, you are cutting flowers,
lugging buckets of water and spending a lot of time in refrigeration
units."
From the Ground Floor Up -- Again
Bevington also points out that your personal experience won't
necessarily be acknowledged professionally. "The workplace will look at
you as someone who comes in with no professional experience, even if
you have done this for years" on a personal level, she says. Can you
really afford to start at the bottom again?
If you are determined to work in the field, you can gain experience
by working in a small shop. For instance, "Walk into your local florist
right before a major holiday like Valentine's Day," says Peterson. "If
you need to, offer to volunteer your time. Do what it takes to get the
experience."
Ease Your Way In
Don't quit your day job, yet. Curt Rosengren of Seattle-based
Passion Catalyst, a career consulting organization, suggests you
"continue to do what you are doing to bring in revenue, while taking a
parallel path to help make the transition" to your hobby job.
In other words, get the knowledge or experience you need while you
still have money coming in. For example, that may mean getting a
part-time job during off-hours or earning any necessary certifications.
"Give yourself time to succeed," says Rosengren. "It could take five
years to completely make the transition."
Keep Your Options Open
Don't burn your bridges with your current employer, Bevington
advises. Refrain from giving your boss a piece of your mind -- because
one day you might decide to go back to your day job and spend your
evenings enjoying your hobby.
This article originally appeared on Monster.com.
Add to:
